Monarch's Guardian
by NecessaryEvil230
Summary: Nine-hundred years of waiting has finally caught up. Upon royal request and external pressure, Star and Marco travel to an area of Mewni lost from map and mind. What awaits could not have been prepared for.
1. Bad Omen

"Queen Moon, shall I take it to the scholars to be−"

"No. I will _personally_ over watch the translation process," the queen said. "You may return to your post. Thank you for the hasty delivery."

* * *

The two soldiers stationed at the main gate of Butterfly Castle stood stiff. Sharpened swords fastened at their hips were complemented by robust shields strapped to their arms. Eyes forward, concentrated on anything to approach. Despite harsh Mewni sunlight and no clouds to offer protection, a cool breeze made the weather bearable.

The clear air was disrupted by a large bird, nearly half the height of the already large men, flying toward the royal household. The sharp claws surrounded something.

Eyes darted to the disturbance and focus pinpointed. The bird flew closer to the gate, eventually circling overhead. The guards stared up.

"Ya think it's a bad omen or something?"

"Nah. Dumb bird is probably lost."

It continued to circle the men. Not descending on them, but staying high above and out of reach. Squinting at the harsh sunlight, they inspected it, not knowing if they were to become prey. "Do you see that in its claws?"

Before the other guard could respond, the talons released and a scroll fell through the air, falling at the sentry's feet. On the scroll, a pressed wax seal was the only identifier of origin. Cautiously, the first sentinel picked it up.

"Don't recognize the house wax. You?"

"Nothing comes to mind."

"I'll be back. Gonna go give it to the clerk for logging."

"I'll be here."

The guard perambulated through the main gate, noticing how well the grounds were kept. Running here and there for duty didn't leave time to sniff the roses. Finishing the brief, he walked into the building juxtaposed to the castle entrance. _Information_ was painted across the peak of the doorway. A small bell clanged above the door to announce the entry.

"Bird dropped this off. We don't know anything about the house."

"I'll look into it. Give it here."

Striding past papers stacked to the ceiling, the guard handed the paper to the clerk and turned back to the door, returning to his post outside of the gate.

Briefly examining it, the clerk too was caught off guard by the strange seal.

 _Don't suppose a new noble house just came out of the ground,_ he thought, unamused at the extra work.

Turning around and grabbing a large binder behind him, the clerk flicked through the pages meticulously, looking for any similarity. Upon reaching the end of the noble houses, the book yielded no help in deciphering the marking.

"Strange," he said aloud. "Guess we're onto _others_ now _."_

Pausing his search, the clerk looked up at the mountains of papers and books to be sorted. Not much longer could an uncharted imprint take up valuable time. Relations with other kingdoms, agreements with corn farmers, and countless other matters cramped around him, constricting time.

Nearing the end of the extensive binder, a finger pressed next to an image as to not lose it in the extensive scribbles dotting the page. Checking the example, it looked right. All that remained was to copy the name of origin down and sort it alphabetically.

Instead of the usually flawless movement, he was akin to, the pen hand halted when he read the name beneath the intricate example. He panned back, left and right, between the two papers.

The scroll.

The book.

 _Readjusting his glasses._

Back to the scroll.

Back to the book again.

He sat, dumbfounded. The symbols inscribed in the wax matched to depictions on a worn, yellowing page that hadn't seen the light day in years.

He stood up quickly, taking a final glance over the seal to make sure he wasn't seeing things. No, it was truly the same. He grabbed the scroll and tiptoed around the littered room to the door, opening it and rushing out, into the courtyard, and arriving at the entrance hall. Making a left, he ran.

Racing through the wide walls, his mind set on the throne room. Navigating was another matter. Between not spending much time in the inner corridors and the castle acting like a maze with many offshoots, locating the seats of royalty was daunting. The guards standing at corners stopped him several times, not knowing if he was even allowed here. When inspecting the emblem on his breast, he was allowed to pass once again, continuing the vicious cycle of looking and being stopped.

Giving into the pressure of time, he asked, "Which way to the throne room, please!" he asked a guard. Sweat streaked his brow and hands shaking.

Stopping to examine the spiritic man standing before the burly guard, assuming he was alright. "Take a right, it's at the end of that hall," the guard said, pointing in the direction described.

Again, speeding through the hall and only stopping when arriving at the door, out of place because of its enormous size.

"What business do you have with the queen?"

"A message was delivered by bird. It requires the Queen's immediate attention."

The royal guard pondered the statement, blatantly curious of the contents of such a message. "Very well, go in. Mind the time you're taking up." Signaling to a second guard, the doors were opened just enough for the feeble clerk to slip through.

Speed walking to the base of the steps that led to the two seats, the king missing from the normal position next to his wife.

Stopping to compose himself, the clerk announces himself. "Queen Moon, clerk of the main gate of Butterfly Castle. I bring a message we received."

"If you bring it directly, it's important. Yes?" the queen said rhetorically. Putting her paper and quill down, she continued the conversation. "Bring it here."

With hands still visibly shaking, the clerk climbed the steps and, with an outstretched hand, passed the scroll to the queen."

"Unmarked besides the−" Moon stared at the seal, making sure it was being seen right.

"Yes, your majesty, it was what you think."

Not wasting time, Moon carefully removed the wax, causing no damage, and unraveled the message and laid it on the side table. On the paper was gibberish, scribbles, nonsense. Moon didn't understand a word.

"Phillip, do you know what language this is?"

"I apologize, but no."

"It needs to be translated immediately," the queen said. "Did you get a look at the Mewman that delivered it. They must have tricked them into doing so."

"No, my queen. The guard said it was delivered by bird. I saw it on my way out. Very large talons, it looked like a warbird."

Moon shuttered at the sentence. "That means that one of _them_ is here."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Being the first chapter, this isn't very long, but future chapters will usually be much longer**

 **Updates will be as regular as I can write them. I'm shooting for fairly long.**

 **Comments and criticism are welcomed.**


	2. Choice

"What do we do?"

"We don't have much of a choice, do we?"

"There's got to be another way."

"…"

"Right?"

"We both very well know this isn't a threat to be taken lightly. What happens if we don't ask?"

"…"

"I don't like it either, but it's the best option."

"I suppose you're right. Make the call."

"The other matter?"

"Yes, that too. We need to know as soon as possible."

* * *

The wall mirror rang. Star lazily looked up from her bed, hoping it was someone that could be ignored. _Mom_ was written across the screen in large, bold letters. Marco glanced at the mirror and seeing the caller, closed the book at the desk he sat at and headed for the door to give Star privacy.

Star rolled off her bed, tumbling off and onto the ground. _Could have sworn I had more space,_ she thought to herself, picking herself up and leisurely walking to the continuingly buzzing mirror, now getting annoyed at the incessant beeping.

Reaching the mirror and pressing answer, she began the normal routine. "Hi mommy!"

"Hello sweetie," Moon said, looking jaded. Bags had formed under her eyes and. Her usually queenly hairdo was messy and down, leaving an unofficial impression; the opposite of her normal appearance.

"Did I do something wrong," Star asked nervously.

"Oh, no. I just need to talk to you and Marco. Can you go get him?"

"Yea, totally," Star paused for a moment." "Hey, Marco! Get in here!"

"I guess that works too."

After a few second, Marco reopened the door and took his place next to Star. "Yea, what's−oh, hey Queen."

"Marco"

"Hey. Is something wrong?"

"No, nothing like that." Moon scanned the room, avoiding Star and Marco's eyes.

"Mom, are you sure?"

Regaining composure, Moon took a smile met their eyes again. "No, but I'd like to talk to Marco and you tonight at six o'clock, in person. Can you do that?"

Marco grabbed his phone and looked through his calendar, seeing no events.

"Yea, we're free. We might miss dinner, but we can get something on the way home."

"Yes, I apologize for the bad time. It's the only period it would work out today."

"We will be there!" Star said. "See you there. Bye!" Star closed the curtains to the mirror, cutting off the call.

"I wonder what she needs?"

"Not sure. My mom usually is fine with talking on the mirror."

"Guess we'll find out. Star, how about this. Since we're going to miss dinner, I'll make us so nachos before we leave?"

"Perfect."

"Ok, I'm gonna go get a shower. Don't do anything that would hold us up. Your mom sounded serious, even if you aren't in trouble."

"Marco, Marco, Marco. When have I ever−" Star started to trail off, realizing what she was actually saying.

"Exactly. I'll be out in twenty minutes. Go get ready."

* * *

Marco stepped out of the shower and into the steam filled room. He started getting ready, hoping that they had enough chips for nachos. He figured that a quick trip to the super market wouldn't hurt too bad if he was fast.

Looking at his phone, Marco realized he had taken an extra five minutes. Annoyed, he started to brush his teeth and blow dry his hair to try to make up time.

The five minutes probably didn't matter in the long run, but keeping to a precise schedule was a routine he tried to live by whenever possible.

Looking down again, he saw there were two missed calls, both from Jackie. He quickly redialed Jackie. Waiting a few seconds, she picked up the other end.

"Marco, hey."

"Hi. Sorry, I missed you, I was in the shower."

"It's all good. Hey, you want to go to the skatepark tonight? A few upperclassmen are bringing speakers and live music. It's going to be wild!"

"That sounds fun." Marco paused, remembering his meeting with the Queen. "But I can't go. I'm going to Mewni tonight with Star. Something we need to hear."

"Oh."

"Yea, sorry. Some other time?"

"Marco, don't you spend a lot of time with Star?"

"I mean−"

"I'm your girlfriend, but it's like you want to spend more time with her than me."

"I…I'm sorry," he said. He was largely at a loss for words.

Marco waited for a response. Her quiet voice broke the silence. "Marco, are you alright? It's like you've been avoiding me recently. You've been all… like… stressed out over something."

"Maybe." Marco drooped over his own words. "listen, I've got to get ready, sorry. Next time, promise."

"Yea, sounds good. Bye." Jackie sounded a little better, at least.

This stress isn't what Marco needed clouding his mind.

Marco finished in the bathroom to the hall. He walked down the steps and into the kitchen. He grabbed an apron off the hook and a closet and started to work.

He started to rummage through the fridge and cabinets for ingredients. He came across the only bag of chips in the house, painfully empty.

"Shit," he said under his breath, soft enough so his father couldn't hear in the next room. He was a little surprised. Marco almost never swore. Maybe he was a bit stressed like Jackie said.

He shrugged, brushing it off and heading out the door to grab his bike.

* * *

Star, still making no progress at getting ready, flipped through the pages of the book Marco left behind in her room. It was a story about the 'Old West' the book called it. Had they learned about it in history class? Maybe. The details escaped her.

Star took the procrastinated time to reflect on what had happened earlier. Her mom did seem insistent that they talk in person. Star took a moment to run through recent memories, trying to remember if she _had_ done something and just forgot. Surly her mother would have seemed even slightly angry if it was the case. Come to think of it, Moon didn't even look bothered, just tired.

Nothing came to mind. Maybe she wanted to tell them about some new training. Star pushed the thoughts to the back of her mind and went to brush her teeth.

* * *

Star and Marco had finished eating. A barren plate was on the table in front of them. Marco grabbed it and headed to the sink, rinsing it off and placing it in the dishwasher.

"it's five till. You ready to head out now?" Marco asked. He turned to look at Star, not hearing a response. She was looking down at her feet, not paying attention. Marco spoke again in a softer tone. "Nervous?"

"Huh?" Star looked up sharply. "I guess."

"Why's that? She said you're not in trouble."

"You're always kind of tense when your mom is the queen and wants to talk." Star offered a small smile.

Marco chuckled. "Guess you're right. So, ready?"

"Yep."

Star took the chrome scissors out of her purse and cut a hole to Mewni.

They arrived in the throne room, but it was empty. No sign of guards standing at their posts and the two large seats were abandoned.

"Princess," a voice behind them called. They turned to see a single castle guard. "I am to escort you and a 'Marco Diaz.' Is this him?"

Both Star and Marco nodded.

"Good, please follow me."

The castle guard took them through a side door of the throne room. Immediately inside was a flight of stairs to be climbed. When they reached the top and opened another door, ahead was a long hallway. Leading across the hall and coming closer, Marco could make out animals engraved into the wood. He opened it for Star and Marco, who went inside.

Inside was a large table surrounded with people. Marco counted more than twenty seated at it.

Star recognized a few faces in the room. Her mother and father, of course. There was the chief of royal guards in Butterfly territory, the barracks quartermaster, and a few generals she had seen in portraits before. Everyone else in the room was a foreign face. There were men and woman in long, blue cloaks that dotted several seats of the long table. All of them had a hood placed over their head, making it impossible to see their eyes.

Moon looked similar to before, only more exhausted. The generals were different from the pictures she had seen line the castle walls. Instead of the well-dressed men, they looked rugged and had unkempt facial hair. To be fair, the quartermaster and chief of guards had worked a full day's shift a few hours ago, but the other men weren't out training or even running errands.

"Sooo, what's this about?"

"Star, Marco, please sit down at the seats in front of you, were about to begin" Moon pointed at two seats, side by side, near the end of the table. They sat down close to the King and Queen.

The Queen stood up and cleared her throat, getting the attention of the room. "You'll have to excuse my shabby appearance, I've been working straight since last afternoon."

"We understand, my Queen. We are sorry for you inconvenience."

"Thank you." Moon snuck a look at River, only to catch his eye in return. River took hold of his wife's hand delicately. "As some of you already know, we received an unmarked scroll yesterday at midday. This scroll was only identifiable by the seal. The seal was of Clan Drengild.

Audible gasps were heard around the room. Scanning the table, nearly everyone was in some state of shock. Even River winced at the name.

"Mom!" Star's hand shot up at first chance.

"I'll answer any questions you have at the end, just listen."

"Ok, fine," Star said as she set her arm back down.

"The message of this scroll was written in a language I wasn't familiar with. It was immediately taken for translation and was finished at around three-thirty this morning."

* * *

My Queen, we've finished translating the message."

Moon was snapped out of her delirious state and on her feet. "Good. And the translation, it's been checked?"

"Four times, each by different people."

The group of scholars looked onward for her reaction, The Queen rose her voice slightly. "Thank you all for your arduous work. I will make sure you all receive _triple_ pay for your work tonight. You may go home."

* * *

Star, this part you need to know."

Star shifted her full attention to her mother, waiting eagerly.

"Technically, you could have assumed some royal duties when you received your wand. Like many other queens before me, I chose to not tell you that or give you any. It's long been understood that royal duties at such an age are unnecessary, barring extreme circumstances. The reason I'm telling you this is because the message concerns you." Moon slowed herself and picked up the rolled scroll up. "let me read what it says about you." Moon started to read.

 _We request that the princess, your daughter, meet with us for discussion on several topics such as, but not limited to, relations between us. You may choose to Embark to Aldmist or face invasion. She is to arrive with any number of people or supplies necessary. The only requirements are that neither the King or Queen is to attend this meeting and she arrives no later than seven days after receiving this message. In addition, we are also in possession of a wand. We hope to see the crown princess soon._

 _Signed_

 _Kaglov, Emperor of Aldmist_

"They are a very powerful force."

The room stood still and silent. Marco just looked at Star for the longest time, as everyone else in the room seemed to be doing. There was no change of expression on her face. It was some weird mix of surprise, confusion, and content. Her golden hair draped over her left eye.

Moon finally broke the silence.

"Despite what this message says, I will not break what I said earlier. I will not force royal duties upon you, especially one of this magnitude. What you do here is your choice, and we will assist in whichever you choose."

Instead of the normal outbursts Star had, she stayed quiet, thinking. Minutes passed and she had still not said anything. In the entire time she stayed with Marco, this was the longest she had ever stayed still, let alone talk or make a notice. On a scale from one to normal Star reaction, this was placed at zero. She got up and started pacing around the room. Not focused on anything in particular but taking in all the objects littered around the room.

Eventually after circling the room several times, Star excused herself, saying she would be back in a moment. Marco got up and followed her, staying a long way behind to not alert her. Star turned a final corner and into a room. The door in was slightly larger than the others in the hallway. Marco rapped the door knocker twice.

"Come in."

Marco walked in to find Star sitting on a bed and reading through a small spiral notebook with gilded handwriting on the front.

"Is something wrong?"

"…"

"You know you can tell me anything, right?"

"…I'm going to say yes."

"What?"

"Even if I didn't want to, I don't _really_ have much of a choice here. My parents may think I do, but they aren't the ones enforcing it. If they were, I would have a choice. I don't though."

"You're saying you want to do this?"

"Kind of. If I don't, there's invasion we have to worry about. That's the forcing part. But I want to do this because I want to help somehow. I kind of _almost_ destroyed the kingdom once."

Marco sat next to Star on her bed. Looking over her shoulder, he saw tiny notes scribbled everywhere, harmonized by little drawings.

"I'll be queen of it someday. I'd rather not be 'queen of ashes' if I can help it." Star chuckled, trying to calm the mood.

Suddenly Marco's arms wrapped around her body, encasing her in a personal cocoon.

"Ok."

"Ok?"

"If you want to do this, ok. I'm not going to stop you."

"Don't start crying on me Diaz." Marco gave some not so convincing sad eyes. "Let's go back down."

Star and Marco went back through the wondering hallways. He was glad Star was the one leading. He had forgotten which way they came.

The pair approached the room and opened the door. The scene wasn't changed. Star and Marco took their seats next to the king and queen.

"I'll do It."

"Are you absolutely sure? There is more time for you to think if you need."

Star explored her parent's worried faces. "Mom, Dad, it doesn't matter how long I take to think about it, I'll just say the same thing then. I am absolutely sure about this."

"Well, if you're sure, then you have full right to answers any question you want. We'll give you complete answers."

"Ok, first… what even is Aldmist?"

"Aldmist is an island far off the northwestern coast of Mewni. It's about a two-day trip with our fastest boats. Clan Drengild, the one mentioned before, is the leading force there and has been for about nine-hundred years."

"What about boats. Why boats? Couldn't we use dimensional scissors for long distance travel in the same dimension."

"Well, the area of Aldmist and the surrounding waters is under a curse. Dimensional portals cannot be cut to or from there. We can make a portal to the edge of the cursed waters, but the rest will need to be sailed."

"Then what placed the curse there?"

"The curse was cast by one of the earliest Queens of the Butterfly family."

"Ok, why was it placed?"

"It was because−"

"Queen Moon," the voice of one of the hooded figures interrupted. The hood was taken off to reveal a burn on the left side of his face. He was maybe thirty years old. "I believe I should take over here."

Moon, ignoring the inappropriate interjection, acknowledged him. "Yes, go ahead."

"Thank you."

The man turned to face Star. "The reason the curse was put on Aldmist was because it is an island of insanely powerful monsters. They're faster and stronger than any monsters here. Most of them have abilities that have never been seen on Mewni. With them having free travel, it gave the possibility of annihilation not only for Mewni, but also the universe as a whole. You're familiar with _The Lizards,_ yes? They originated from Aldmist and came to Mewni some time later. Septarsis was a small province in the Northeast on Aldmist."

"We know that the lizards can be killed though, what makes the monsters there so powerful," Marco said, sensing a bit of hope.

"The problem is I didn't give you the whole story yet. The lizards left Aldmist was because they were being persecuted. The chief of the Lizard insulted The Emperor, so the entire race was to be punished."

Star asked again, "What did they do to make The Lizards leave?"

"Have you eaten recently?"

"Yea, before we left."

"Then, with respect, you probably don't want to know. I'll leave it at they were able to kill the Lizards without magic.

"Ok then… What about the wand he mentioned. Is it like the Butterfly wand?"

"We are led to believe it is. There are currently three wands in existence: The Butterfly wand, the wand they are in possession of, and a third that is a complete mystery to us. They came into contact with the wand, we predict, no longer than one-hundred years ago. Their use is extremely primitive compared to the Butterfly wand.

"Just one more thing. Who even are you guys? I don't recognize any of the robe getups. Did you just not have time to change after a shower?"

The cloaked man leaned forward, not expecting the presented inquiry. "We are representatives of the Guild of the Arcane. I am Atticus Lamwood, current director."

"Guild of the what?"

Moon picked up seeing the direction of the conversation. "I'll explain that later, it's a much longer story then we have time."

"Then that's everything I needed."

River stood up. "Ladies and gentlemen, this meeting is concluded. We will talk more on the matters present at a future date."

Everyone In the room started to pack up and leave, some talking on the way out and others remaining silent. All of the shrouded guild members grouped tightly and left quickly. The quartermaster jotted a few notes down. The room was now empty except for the king, queen, Star, and Marco. Star went over to her parents while Marco stayed put. River's head looked up and saw Marco still remained seated.

"Marco, can you please leave the room for a moment so we can talk to Star?"

Marco got up from his seat and walked to the door, taking a painfully long time because of the sheer size of the meeting room.

He pushed on the handle of the door. It was surprisingly light for how tall it seemed. He found a nice spot on the floor and slouched against the wall. He could hear mutters from the meeting room, but no words were distinguishable. He lost track of time in his own thoughts. _What's going to happen_ was just one question he asked himself several times.

Following the unpleasant questions, Marco looked up for the first time. The walls in this part of the castle were pained crisp purple. Painting of dogs, unicorns, and other animals were strewn around, radiating off a calm atmosphere.

The door creaked and Marco looked over. River, who had come through, was already standing above Marco and offering a hand for support. Marco took it and was pulled to his feet.

"Marco, can I talk to you for a few minutes?"

"Yea, sure."

"Please follow me."

The short walk down the large passage Marco originally branched to a cross-section and finally into a much smaller room. It wasn't small by any means, but at least it didn't echo.

River walked over to a small table in the center and sat down, patting the seat next to him. Marco gladly obliged and took the seat next to River.

The King took off his askew crown and placed it on the table.

"Marco, I'll be to the point here. Star is going to need great protection when she travels to Aldmist."

"That's what the royal guards are for though, right?"

"Technically yes, but that is hardly enough." River looked up at Marco and into his eyes. "Let me tell you about something. This happens sometimes. A queen or princess has to travel to a very dangerous place and normal guards aren't enough. For many, many generations of royalty, there was another type of soldier that went on these missions. The _Monarch's Elite Guardian_ is what they're called broadly. You see, the monarch decided the exact title of them, so they have many different names _._ These guards are extremely special. Instead of dozens, there is a single one. Instead of being mostly strangers, the Monarch's Elite Guard is very close to the princess and knows them well. The bond they have is like family, if not closer sometimes."

"Why do you−"

"Because when we talked alone, as a family, we talked about an Elite Guardian for her. How it would work, people to choose, and other fine details. Lots of details." River paused to catch his breath. "It was unanimous that you should be the one. You're with her every day, always helping her in some way. The reason I'm the one telling you this instead of Star is because she didn't know how to ask you, she thought it was too much. She wanted more than anything for you to be the one that goes with her."

Marco thought. He took his eyes from the King and focused on the crown instead. It wasn't a stereotypical earth crown with so many jewels that the weight caused neck problems. River's crown only had a single gemstone. The rest of the crown was carved with intricate designs. It looked impossible for a Mewman to handcraft, but there it was. The inside rim of the crown also had small etchings. It looked like a writing of sorts, but they were too small to read.

"I'll do it. If she's able to agree so quickly, I shouldn't have to think about my decision."

"Marco, you do realize what you're agreeing to, correct? When you accept this officially, you will swear allegiance to Star."

"Star needs me for this, so yea, I'm sure."

The King's spirits seemed to rise immediately. River picked the crown back up and placed it on his head, making sure to straighten it.

"With me then, please," River said, sounding and acting much more like himself.

River again led Marco through the halls, this time faster. River knew the castle by heart, leading Marco through places he would never be able navigate without a map. They went down a flight of stairs and took a left into the first room. Inside was fabrics of all kinds, leather, and metal. A small table was stationed in the middle. A group of men were playing what looked like a card game.

River walked over to one of the men. He had a different colored vest on then the rest. River addressed the man first then turned to the rest of the cardplayers, whispering something. Immediately, all four of them grabbed different sized measurements and headed to Marco. The suited men measured nearly everything that would touch clothing. They went about their job while the man in the colored vest stayed back and ignored the others, looked at Marco directly.

"Do you use weapons?" The voice had an aristocratic ring, but welcoming all the while.

"I study Karate. I tend to focus on using arms and legs. I have trained with a staff before though."

The door opened again. Moon walked in and waited next to her husband for the worker's job to be finish. Once they were done, Marco turned to acknowledge the Queen. She seemed to stand much straighter. It appeared her dignified look had been revived.

"You're going through with it?"

"Yes, I'm gonna do it."

Moon smiled. "Call for me when you're finished. I want to tell you a story."

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **Much longer chapter. I'll be trying to be more consistent with chapter lengths in the future, I just need to figure out an amount that works well.**

 **Special thanks to** **Angelz1251, Itzli, Sally B. Mcgill, and abbydobbie** **for favoriting this story.**

 **Comments and Criticism are welcomed.**


	3. Sheep and Stars

"Why was he sent out? Shouldn't Marco hear all of this too?"

River pointed back to the table. "Let's sit down first." The three went back to the table. Star sat in the chair she occupied before. Moon and River took the seats on either side of her instead of being distant from Star like the previous conversation. There weren't unknown faces separating them. The table was long, but they scrunched together at the end, leaving the remaining seats barren.

"There are some things that Marco doesn't need to know. Yet, at least. It would be best if he didn't hear them."

"We kinda just dropped that I'm going to a dangerous island to meet someone threatening that if I don't, Mewni could be invaded. There's not much more that would be worse he could hear than that."

"This is a touchy subject to be talked about with him," Moon said. "Just as the letter involved you, this part concerns him. We just need to figure some things out before he is talked to."

"They don't know about him, the 'Clan Drengild' or whatever, do they?"

"No, they do not."

"Then what is it with him then?"

Not the best start to the conversation. The King and Queen delayed any responses. Even with extensive preparation, they came to the table flat-footed.

"Well?"

"Star," River said, "Do you remember when we used to go and see the sheep at different farms?"

"Kind of, it was a long time ago."

"Try to remember, this might help. Do you remember what was with the sheep?"

"Yea, it was a… it was a dog!"

"Yes, exactly! Do you remember why the dog was there?"

"They have them on Earth too!" Star was starting to get it. "It was to protect the sheep and other animals I think."

"Yes, yes, that's right. The dogs are there to protect the sheep from wolves and other predators."

"Huh, cool, but why are we talking about _sheep_ and _dogs_?"

"Darling, wer'e talking about them because you might need a dog. A place like Aldmist… this place is like an eternal warzone without the war even happening."

"But I'm not a sheep."

"No, you aren't, but you're like one. You're like a sheep because you are extremely valuable to us and the kingdom. And unfortunately, there are wolves out there. There are bad people that hurt people because they can."

"We couldn't bear to lose you," Moon said. She hesitated for a moment. "Point being, we think Marco should be the dog."

"What does that mean?"

"Star, there has been a tradition in the Butterfly family since nearly the beginning of the bloodline. There is something called an Elite Guardian. Just like the dog, the protect the sheep; they protect the monarch. Just like how to dogs work closely to the sheep, the Guardian is someone very close to the monarch, usually a devoted friend. When we first picked Marco to be your guide on Earth, we chose him because he's caring and understanding. It's doing him a disservice to say he's even better than we hoped. He was your guide on Earth, and now we want him to be your guardian in Aldmist. At the end of it, it's your choice as to who and if you want a guardian, but no one else comes close to Marco in this regard."

"I've never even heard of an 'Elite Guardian' before. Didn't you say it's a tradition?"

"If you don't hear about specific people, that's a good thing. Not all queens and princess had a guardian, but when they do, it's best if the news didn't go with the wind. Usually only the monarch, very close family, and ones who make the equipment know who the guardian's identity. No one else knows unless there's a misstep and they reveal themselves."

Both Moon and River looked at Star. "That's most of the information about them. If you want to go through with it, all that's left is we talk to Marco," Moon said

"…"

"Star?" River asked.

"…How do I even ask him to do something like that? I mean, I'd be taking him to who knows where. You even said it was a warzone!" Star paused and spoke again, softly. "I want it to be him, but I don't know how to talk to him about it."

"I'm forgetting how new and sudden all of this is for you. We're sorry darling. How about this. I'll go talk to Marco for you. I'll explain what it is and what you think. What do you say?"

"You would do that, dad?"

"Anything for you. I'll go do that now." River got up from his seat and walked to the door. It was opened slowly and the king exited the room. Star and Moon were the last two to stay.

"Mom?"

"Yes, sweetie?"

"Can I ask you some things?"

"Well, we told you pretty much everything about the Elite Guardians. There's not really anything else to say about them."

"No, I mean like _other_ stuff."

"I can't tell you everything you might want to know, but I'll say anything I can."

It was a simple and difficult request. There were things Star might want to know that she's just not allowed to yet. She might deserve to know them, but the security of some things had to come first.

"Did you have a guardian?"

A rough one right off the bat. Moon knew she had to be very careful with her wording.

"Actually, I did. He was a childhood friend. I can't tell you a name though."

"That's fair I guess," Star said. She was disappointed, but didn't show it. "How was the curse placed?"

Star wasn't going to make these questions easy. Moon rattled her head for an appropriate explanation.

"Star, do you remember the spell I used on Toffee, Eclipsa's spell? To heavily simplify it all, Eclipsa wasn't the only queen to dabble in 'dark' magic. Past queens have explored what it can do and how it affected things. That queen that cast the curse was one of those people. Curses are powerful though and take great energy. When the curse was finished, it sucked the life out of her to power the spell. She was the first queen to discover that type of magic by our records. Eclipsa was the only one to actually document her research. Consequently, she fell victim to her own creation."

"Wow, that's a lot to take in."

"I felt the same way when I first heard it too. It's a scary thought. Anything else?"

"Yea, what is the 'Guild of the Arcane?' There were a lot of them sitting down earlier."

"They're… mysterious, to say the least. The guild has been around for quite a while. Basically, they're magical scholars. They spend much of their lives studying aspects of magic. When we know a harvest will be bad, they bewitch the plants and make sure the normal amount is grown. They document and study magical artifacts when found. Enchant armor and weapons, there are endless things they do.

"But wait, I thought that you could only use magic if you were a Butterfly or had a wand?"

"For a common Mewman, that's true. The guild members devote their lives to research and testing. Take what you can learn in a lifetime and they double that. There's some process of how they're able to do it, but that's one of the only things they haven't told us. Somehow, each person has lifetimes of knowledge, all focused on magic."

"Those things like growing plants, why don't you do that? You are the queen, after all."

"If I were to do the things they do, it would drain me beyond belief. When it's an extensive project like that, usually every guild member participates in the ritual. It's long and hard, but at the end of it, it's less strenuous on everyone. The Butterfly line has an excellent aptitude for magic, but each Queen's complete knowledge is nothing compared to them."

"Ok, wow again."

Moon allowed herself to smile for the first time in a while. "Yes, it's always a fascination to anyone that hears about it."

"Scary too."

"Yes, scary too, but just the right amount. Nothing else then?"

"Yea, that about covers it. Thanks."

A solemn mood remained even though the question asking had ceased.

"Now that we're done, can I show you something?"

"What is it?"

"I'll show you, follow me."

Moon took Star to the other side of the room. She opened the door on the outside wall, unveiling a small balcony. Plants were hung from baskets. Assorted flowers grew in one bed and small berries grew in the other. It was now getting dark and the sky was lit by tiny bulbs.

"Sky is pretty," Moon said.

"Yea, Atarr and Arune are both full tonight."

"Yep. Good to see you haven't forgotten about Mewni in all that time away."

"Don't count on that." Star and Moon started to laugh.

"Then let me help you remember." Moon pointed up at the starry night sky. Small bits of magic shot from her finger as she started to draw in the air, tracing stars. She began more intricate details, connecting the stars with small and large streams of magic, curves and straight lines. When she was finished, the constellations looked like pictures from a book.

"That one, the one that looks like a warnicorn," Mood said. "It's called… well, I guess forgot too."

"Well, looks like I'm not the only−Wait, that looks like corn! And there, a mermaid."

"Yea, I see it too." Moon looked down to her hip and checked a pocket watch that had been hidden away from view. It was getting late. "Star, it's been a while since your father left. I'm going to go check up on what's happening."

"Ok mom," Star said. She didn't even look away from the sky to reply.

* * *

Following a few more minutes of star gazing, the pictures in the sky started to fade, leaving only the dots to guide. Star stood up and turned to the door, taking a final glance at the sky before going through the doors, closing them behind her.

Star continued out of the room entirely and through the hall Marco had went some time before. She walked until reaching the main courtyard placed near the center of the castle. Star sat on a nearby bench with a clear view of the sky. She took out a small, yellow notebook and pen. She started to write to write on the first page:

 _I'm scared._

* * *

 **Author's Note**

 **This one was tricky. I wasn't really sure how I should have the Guardian explained to Star, but settled on comparing it to sheep. Tell me what you think of it. Still not sure if it was the best way to go about it.**

 **Comments and criticism are welcomed.**


	4. Ice, Force

Someone knocked at the door.

"Come in!"

Marco opened the door and walked inside. Moon put the large book down stood up to greet him. "Marco, hello."

"Hey, Queen Butterfly. Sorry that took so long."

"No, not a problem. Come, sit." Moon took hold of his arm and led him to the chair next to hers. "I trust everything went well?"

"Yea, just a lot of measuring. The tailors, I think they were, fit me with some leather and straps for size. They said the sizing should be finished my midday tomorrow.

"Good, that should fit with your fighting style. 'Karate,' was it? You'll have to forgive my lack of insight on Earth topics."

"Yes, that's right. The style I practice is called Tang Soo Do, but there's a lot of different ones. The weight will be good too, not much heavier than my Gi."

"You'll have to tell me more when we find the time. I don't believe we have anything similar on Mewni. I'll need to tell the Guild about your armor before the night's end. My, there's a lot to be done."

"The Guild? The ones at the meeting in the robes? How are they involved?"

"That's a discussion for another day. To simplify, being an Elite Guardian, your armor and weapon are to be augmented. The guild provides that service."

"Ah, ok. I only really got the crash course on the Guardians from Star's dad. Still lost on most other stuff."

Mood latched onto the topic. "That reminds me why I wanted to talk to you. Most times, we would have a few weeks at the least to prepare you and Star for what this means and all the tiny details. We have less than two days before you need to leave. I'm sure you can see the issue here. There was the option of giving you books and records to study, but that's hardly a good solution. Studying won't do you any good. What you need is an example to latch onto."

"The story?"

"Yes, a specific story."

* * *

A young Moon and several other figures stood around a table. Moon was dressed in her black cape and dress, the same type she wore while mourning.

The man standing beside her was no less than six feet tall. He wore a royal blue cape and hood that covered most of his head. Moon's signature pink cheek diamond was stitched into the cape, visible for anyone to see. A bow was strapped over his left shoulder and a quiver of arrows hung from his hip.

He spoke softly into Moon's ear. "Would you come aside for a moment?"

"Hm? Of course."

The two walked out into the hallway, away from the commotion surrounding at the table.

"What is it Hydlin?"

His voice was eerily deep. "Just a status update. I scanned the area half an hour ago and all is accounted for. If we leave on schedule, there should be a straight shot to the rendezvous with minimal confrontation. Are we still set to move out in," Hydlin said. He checked his pocket watch. "twelve minutes?"

"Yep, everything is already ready."

"Good to hear, Arune.

Moon blushed at the name. "I told you to stop using that name, it's embarrassing!"

"Hey, at least I don't use it in front of anyone, so I'm gettin off free."

"Talk like that and I'll have to release you," Moon said. She spoke with a playful, authoritative tone.

"Now, you wouldn't do that to me, would you? I'm the best friend you have." Hydlin started to swing the chain of his watch around. "Not to mention your best fighter, eh?"

"You got me there. So, you ready to do your big speech?"

"How about it? It's always fun to watch the guards shake in their armor. Real show it is."

"Hey, you just get it done."

"Just fun on the side." Hydlin opened the door back in. "After you."

Moon lead back into the room with Hydlin following closely. Sighting their approach, the four soldiers took to their feet and held stiff. Hydlin walked up to the table and cracked his knuckles.

"At ease." The armor-clad guards breathed a collective sigh. "We depart in eleven minutes, here's the plan." He pointed at the four soldiers. "You four. Two of you in the front and two in the back ten steps in front of or behind the Queen with five steps between you two. If you follow, this is a rectangle with one of you at each corned and the Queen in the middle. Understood?" All four guards said yes. "Good. I'll be three steps behind Queen Mood and the scribe will be two behind me. Main objective here is transporting the Queen to the moot hall. The citizens here don't exactly like Butterfly royalty, so be sharp even if chance of attack is low. If there are no questions, go get ready to move." The guards and scribe left the room and went outside, moving into position. Hydlin sat in a chair and kicked his feet up on the table."

"So, Moon, what are you gonna do when we get back to the castle?"

"Me? Probably meeting with nobles or something like that; boring stuff. What about you?"

"Go down to a tavern and get an Eothonian whiskey. After that, probably lay low for a while until you need me again."

"Hydlin, you can't drink!"

"Those bartenders don't know the difference. I look older than most of them, so it all works out. I've gotten drunk off the same bar for a year now."

"Drunk?"

"Don't you worry, I always sober up before anything important happens."

"You're intolerable."

"I know, but you still keep me around," he said humorously. Moon shot Hydlin a glare. "Alright, alright, I'll hold back on the drinking some. But only because you want me to. What about your clothes? Looks like you're going to your own funeral."

"Just a precaution. The less attention I get, the better."

"Yea, I get it. Smart choice. Almost time to go, you ready to head out?"

"Yes, let's go."

Hydlin exited first and led Mood down the steps, into the lobby, and finally to the courtyard where the guards were in position, waiting. Moon and Hydlin got into their positions which had been discussed earlier. His bow still hung from his shoulder, but Hydlin had his hand on the grip and the other hovering over the quiver. Straight outside the gate was the town market. Normally it would be stuffed with a myriad of people, but most of the venders were out farming or fishing.

"Ok, forward."

Everyone moved forward while staying in their assigned spots. All was looking well. They started out the gate and down a small dirt road traveling to the base of the hill. Once at the bottom, people started to notice the entourage. Heads turned and whispering induced. Moon kept her head down, not wanting to catch anyone's eyes. The soldiers and Hydlin didn't flinch. They were two-thirds of the way to the Moot Hall with no problems.

A clearly drunk man stepped to the front of the group, one hand behind his back. Hydlin clandestinely looked at the man. Stumbling slightly, but regaining enough balance to stand up straight and observe.

Without warning, the drunk ran out of the crowd and unveiled a broken bottle.

Before the guards could unsheathe their swords or Moon to fire a blast from her wand, Hydlin gripped onto the bow and grabbed an arrow. He pulled back on the string and aimed at the adversary. He let go. The arrow hit its mark in the man's throat just above his collar bone. With the arrow lodged inside, the drunk gagged on his own blood and fell to the ground, wheezing for breath and coughing blood onto the dirt. Crimson ran freely down his chest. The man tried to yank the arrow out, but it stayed put. In the process, he dug it further in. He tried to yell out in pain, but the blood and arrow wouldn't allow anything except choking.

Ice crystals formed on the outside on the wound. His blood started to coagulate when his neck started to ice over, eventually spreading to his mouth and chest where any liquids began freezing inside. He took a final breath and fell unconscious

Everyone in the crowd took a collective step back after the display of force. Briefly stunned, the guards put away their swords when the level of threat lowered. Moon's escort moved forward again, but much faster than before. Moon arrived at the Hall and slouched again the outside wall to catch her breath. Hydlin stood next to her and waited.

"Hydlin," Moon said in between breaths. "Thank you."

"No problem. I don't like going to that, but my first goal is to protect you, no matter how much I don't like using this damned weapon." Hydlin gripped the shaft tight, observing his tool. He looked down at Moon, now stood up fully. "By the way,"

Moon looked Hydlin in the face.

"I told you I always sober up before anything important."

* * *

"Your Guardian wasn't River?"

"No. Hydlin was a childhood friend. He actually wasn't even a noble, just a normal commoner. We met and I granted access to the castle. We must have been… eight or so when we met. That story was when I was seventeen."

"I see."

"Marco, I tell you that story so it can be an example. Hydlin was a staunch protector, but we were able to talk like normal people instead of _just_ a protector. As friends. Besides the drinking, take an example from him. Does that make sense?"

"Yea, I think so."

"Good. Also, this is for you." Moon outstretched her arm to Marco and passed a book. "It's a copy of all our information on Aldmist. It should help you." The book was unnaturally thin, hardly breaking a hundred pages.

"Uh, Queen? Is this the right? It seems kinda small."

"Yes. Unfortunately, that is the right book. We haven't been able to do much, so that's everything. Marco, it's getting late and you should head to bed if you are to be rested for tomorrow. I've already sent a courier to Earth to tell your mother and father about our 'situation.' I've decided to… omit some of the details, but they get the basic idea."

"Thanks."

"The guard outside will lead you to your room. Good night Marco."  
"Night." Marco tucked the book under his arm. He planned to read it before the fitting tomorrow.

* * *

One-hundred twelve pages. The entire known history of Aldmist was expressed in mere _one-hundred twelve pages_.

Marco got up earlier than usual to get started. He hadn't looked at anything other than the cover the night before, so the actual contents were unknown until the morning. Most of it was either extremely ancient history that wouldn't help at all or geography. The only recent information was the approximate date Clan Drengild came to power. About nine-hundred years.

Pondering over it wouldn't help. Marco made his bed and grabbed to book. He left the guest room and went to the main dining hall. When he sat, he was approached by a short woman in an apron.

"Can I get you anything?" she said

"Are scrambled eggs a thing here?" She nodded. "That please." Normally Marco would have opted to cook his own food−he didn't like to trouble anyone−but couldn't even concentrate on his thoughts after the unhelpful readthrough of the book.

The eggs came faster than expected. The royal chefs really did work fast. Marco took his time eating and took to opportunity to take a better look at the book. He opened the inside flap; 'RESTRICTED SECTION' was stamped in ink on the inside cover. Upon closer inspection, tiny scribbles were strewn about the cover. Marco couldn't make anything out and retired fully to his food. He didn't know what type of eggs he was eating, but HE didn't care. They tasted good and that's all that mattered.

Someone tapped Marco's shoulder. Marco looked up to see a woman wearing the same blue robe of the guild members.

"Please come with me."

Marco got up and started to follow her. "I take it this is about my gear?"

"Yes." She led him through similar hallways and through an iron and wood door, down the steps that followed. They arrived at an antechamber. Atticus Lamwood, hood down and burn showing, was waiting in the center of the room.

"You're Atticus, from last night?"

"That would be me. Now, come. I have a busy day ahead."

Marco and Atticus moved to the room directly ahead. Straw dummies lined one wall. Racks of different weapons were placed at the wall opposite. Apart from the weapons, several wooden mannequins made for storing armor. Pieces of leather were strapped onto the first.

"This what you were expecting?" Atticus asked.

"I'm not sure what I was expecting." The Armor was broken into several main pieces. The chest piece was strapped onto the chest and the back piece the same. There were two pieces of leather for each arm and leg; one covering the upper arm and thigh, the other much smaller place covering the forearm and shin. The leather wasn't connected and left much space between the pieces. It was unlike any armor Marco had seen.

"To give you all possible mobility, we broke the leather up into many pieces. This effectively cuts down on weight and gives you full mobility. Given your fighting style, it was adjusted for as little armor covering your body as possible while still protecting you."

The guild leader was right. Marco thought it looked extremely low profile.

"Let's try it then," Atticus said. "Alright, we're ready." Two other guild members came into the room. They started unstrapping it from the mannequin any placing the pieces on Marco's body. Marco took off his hoodie to make it easier to adjust the chest and back pieces. He noted how flexible it was. Once they were finished, one of the people went behind Marco and strapped a navy-blue cape and hood around his neck. The back of the cape had a large pink heart in the middle. The other guild members left Atticus and Marco alone.

"It's custom that the Guardian wears a blue cape with the queen's symbol adorned on the back"

"Huh, nice," Marco said, examining the forearm protection. "And this will protect me with whatever is there?"

Instead of responding, Atticus swung a small hatched around, straight into Marco's chest. The blade bounced off and left the armor unshaved.

"What was that! You could have missed!"

"It's better for me to show you."

"I would have believed you if you said it would work!"

"Well, now you won't have to take my word for it." Marco grunted in response. "Oh, now that you have the armor on, you have this to try." Atticus went to the closest weapon rack and picked up a staff. "I took the liberty of researching karate last night. This is what you call a 'bo staff,' yes? Six feet long, the standard length for such a weapon." Atticus placed the staff in Marco's hands. "Very versatile weapon, that is."

"Yea, that's right. How did you find all that information so quickly?"

"We have scrolls, books, and several other methods of documentation. They have information on just about anything from all over the known universes. Well, the places we were able to document so far."

Marco frowned. "I don't suppose you have anything on Aldmist in the collection?"

"No. That's one of the few places to fall under 'undocumented.' So, how does the staff feel?"

"Very good. It feels perfectly balanced." Marco effortlessly spun it around his hands. "And smooth. It's easy to hold and use. I'm gonna try it out." Marco walked confidently to the combat dummies. He picked one and jabbed it in the abdomen.

The staff flew out of Marco's hands with a crack and knocked him on his back. His staff flew and hit the wall.

'What was−why did that happen? I thought these were supposed to work without nearly killing me!"

"I thought this might happen. What you just experienced is called 'magic overload.' It's what happens when the body uses too much magical energy it can handle. We didn't have any direct records, but it had been suspected that humans have very, _very_ low magical tolerance. If humans could handle it better, your species could do real magic instead of illusion and sleight of hand. _Real magic._ Mewmans, on the other hand, have a much higher tolerance. Hence, we Guild members can do what we do. In the result of this happening, I had these made." Atticus took a pair of fingerless gloves from his back pocket and gave them to Marco. Each one had a pink heart on the palm.

"Gloves?"

"Gloves. They'll help you focus magical energy. Quite helpful. I don't expect you to be able to do it, but other magic techniques and rituals are possible with those."

"So, I just put them on and they work? I don't want to get smacked around anymore, if you understand."

"Put them on." Marco put on the gloves and adjusted the strap. "The gloves need a catalyst to work. A small supply of magic. Hold out your hands."

Marco held out the gloves palm side up. Atticus closed his eyes and started muttering in a language other than English. His voice transformed into tiny blue strands that were absorbed into the gloves. After a few sentences, Atticus stopped.

"I've lent you some energy to power it. It should last about an hour. Try again."

Marco picked up the staff again and approached the dummy. He struck it, again, in center mass. The hit blew straight through the wood and straw, leaving a gap large enough to see the wall behind.

"Looks like you were right. Thanks for the help."

"it's the least I could do for the newest Guardian. Was that everything you need?"

"Yes−" Marco started, but remembered a few bugging thoughts. "No, actually. Can you tell me about the Lizards and what happened to them? What you were going to say last night and stopped."

Atticus Lamwood raised an eyebrow. "Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Ok. From records we've collected, the other monsters took advantage of the Septarian's regenerative abilities. Sometimes they would cut out vital organs and observe the effects. After they grew back, they would do it again just for fun. Other times, they would cut them open and places things inside. A sharp rock, for example, would be put where a muscle would be. The muscle would regrow around it and they would force the Lizards to do all kind of tasks. They were already brutal, but the inserted foreign objects made it excruciating. They were truly _despicable_ creatures. Poison them and watch the body keep them alive while the poison ravaged their brain and organs. When they finally had their fun, the Lizards would be strapped to a pole and burned until there was literally nothing left except ashes. They were burned down to the bones and then some for good measure. Was there anything else you wanted to know?"

"No, that's enough for now."f

"Ok. I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that. The King will be down to prepare you for tonight. You can use this time to practice if you wish.

* * *

 **Author's note**

 **I wanted to bring the violence up this chapter. Hope you enjoyed.**

 ** _I don't encourage underage drinking._**


End file.
